Al Ahly could earn up to €5m from Hamza Abdelkarim’s Barcelona move

Al Ahly could receive as much as €5m from Hamza Abdelkarim’s transfer to Barcelona, according to Spanish newspaper Sport.

The initial value of the move was €1.5m, with that amount paid to Al Ahly for the transfer of the young forward. However, the Egyptian club may be entitled to further payments under additional terms linked to Abdelkarim’s progress at Barcelona.

Those payments are understood to depend on the number of appearances Abdelkarim makes for Barcelona’s first team, as well as the goals he scores for the club. If the relevant conditions are met, the total amount received by Al Ahly could rise to €5m.

Abdelkarim was named among the substitutes for Barcelona in the opening two rounds of the Spanish league. He has not yet made his senior debut for the club, meaning the appearance- and goal-related elements of the agreement have not yet had the opportunity to increase the transfer income.

The player did, however, make a positive impression during Barcelona’s preparations for the current season. He scored three goals in friendly matches during the pre-season, although he has so far remained on the bench in competitive action.

The terms reported by Sport mean that the original €1.5m fee may not represent the final financial return for Al Ahly. Instead, the Egyptian club’s earnings could grow depending on how quickly Abdelkarim becomes involved with Barcelona’s first team and whether he can contribute on the scoresheet.

For now, his competitive involvement has been limited to being included among Barcelona’s substitutes in their first two league fixtures. He is still waiting to make his first appearance, while the three goals scored in pre-season remain his only goals for the club since completing the move.

The reported structure gives Al Ahly a potential additional financial benefit from Abdelkarim’s development, with the maximum figure placed at €5m. Sport did not indicate that the full amount had already been paid, but presented it as a possible total based on the player’s future appearances and goals for Barcelona’s senior side.

Abdelkarim’s progress will therefore remain important to the eventual value of the transfer for Al Ahly. His strong pre-season form has already provided an encouraging start, but his first competitive appearance and subsequent first-team contributions will determine whether further payments are triggered.